This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the disclosure. Accordingly, these statements are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is or is not prior art.
Flying vehicles have commonly found use in various applications. One current embodiment is as a platform using fixed wing structures capable of generating lift through forward propulsion supplied by propellers that are driven by direct current (DC) motors or internal combustion engines. There are also flying vehicles capable of both hovering and forward flight through the use of a single or multiple pairs of rotorcraft-type blades coupled to DC motors. However, by comparison, flapping wing flyers found in nature, while exhibiting the same aforementioned flight capabilities, also possess unparalleled flight maneuverability and agility. Therefore, in these and other applications (e.g., surveillance, mapping, condition monitoring, etc.), efficiency (i.e., battery usage), maneuverability, reliability, longevity, and control (i.e., maneuverability) of all current and future flying vehicles pose challenges. Thus far, no system has provided a solution to the above-enumerated challenges and been able to reproduce the capabilities of nature's flyers.
Therefore, there is an unmet need for an aerial vehicle system driven by an actuation and wing based system specifically designed to be efficient, reliable, long-lasting, and provide the advanced maneuverability and control required to meet the demand of future applications.